Thread by @YourlocalIDdoc, Let’s talk about herd immunity! A thread...(1/8) Herd immunity a type of [...]

Megan L. Srinivas, MD MPH

YourlocalIDdoc

Let’s talk about herd immunity! A thread...
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Herd immunity a type of protection that happens when enough people in a population are immune to an infectious disease, like the influenza virus, because of prior exposure (either infection or vaccine).
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We still do NOT know if having COVID produces long lasting protection against the infection. This needs to be true in order for herd immunity to be possible without a vaccine. We also don’t know if having antibodies will protect you against reinfection.
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If it does, we would still need AT LEAST 70% of the population to have antibodies in order to get herd immunity. We are VERY far from that threshold and have already lost almost 210,000 lives.
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@TheLancet published a study last week analyzing how many people in the US have antibodies to potentially confer herd immunity. ( https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32009-2/fulltext)
(5/8)">https://www.thelancet.com/journals/...

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a large nationwide sample of patients on dialysis in the...

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer than 10% of the US adult population formed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and fewer than 10% of those with antibodies were diagnosed. Public...

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32009-2/fulltext

They sampled 28,503 people from across the US & found that LESS than 1 in 10 people had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). In Iowa, it was less than 1 in 38 people. We are NOWHERE near the numbers to meet herd immunity.
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And even if herd immunity possible (the above condition s are met), we would see millions die before we could get to that point.

Isn’t it better to take simple preventive actions we KNOW are effective, like wearing a mask & social distancing, to stop unnecessary deaths?
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Thank you,
Your Local Infectious Disease Doctor
#YourLocalIDDoc

#ProtectingtheHeartland
#HealthyIowa #COVID19 #Iowa #StoptheSpread #StayHome

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